Trying to be a part of the culture and more than just a visitor in the city can be challenging at times. However, I had an opportunity to feel like I was part of something bigger, something that was 22,000 people strong. “Corri La Vita” is a marathon that supports Breast Cancer and is well known throughout the region. I wanted to participate not only to honor to my Grandma Jo and my mom, but also to be a part of the city. Waves of people all dressed in green, made their way down to Piazza de Signoria. The enthusiasm and excitement pulsed through the crowd, as participants waved hundreds of Italian flags. Even dogs and kids came out in support of the event.
Trying to fit in another culture where you obviously stand out is difficult, but today, we were all dressed in the same shirt, walking the same direction, for the same cause and it didn’t matter that you were a foreigner. The marathon winded through the streets of Florence, past the Duomo, over the Arno River, and through the Boboli Gardens of the Piti Palace. It was a great way to see the city. Even though the walk took about three times as long as it normally would due to the massive amount of people, it was still exciting to participate and I hope to find more opportunities like that where I can come closer to being a local rather than an American Tourist.
